Autumn is the season of change! The wind is blowing, leaves are turning beautiful autumnal hues, the days are shortening, contracting and cooling.

It’s a good time to start looking after yourself by making changes to get you ready for winter and prepare for the colder weather ahead.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is the time of the Metal element, the Lungs, the Nose (sense of smell) and Skin.

It’s a great time to work on your immunity, circulation, allergies and sinus problem as well as skin diseases. Those of you who suffer these lovely little afflictions might have notice flare ups of symptoms at the moment.

The good news is that by working on treating them now we have the greatest seasonal energetic power on our side to make long lasting improvements and help you to have the best winter health wise you have had for a while.

With the Lungs & Large Intestine, the organ of “letting go” being Yin Yang partners for this season, it’s a great time to give up no longer useful patterns, habits and addictions. Especially in the case of smoking!

Some Autumn tips to get you started..

No. 1 has to be breath..big and deep its great time to get outside on the pleasant crisp fresh days and do aerobic activity, run, walk, dance, practice yoga…what every gets you moving, inhaling and exhaling freely!

Get in Nature, Camping and Hiking become one with the changing season and the tree’s the lungs of the world.

Warm Salt water nasal rinses- with a more traditional neti pot or these days you can get nasal sprays and rinses commercially at the pharmacy.

Use Eucalyptus or lemon tea tree essential oil to clean around the house, in the bath or pop in an infuser – for the bath emulsify a few drops in milk before adding to the water.

Focus on cultivating your inner self and sense of worth. Autumn can be a time of sadness and melancholy energetically as we transition and come down from the electric buzz of Summer.

It’s time for introspection and to make plans for personal projects and down time. It’s also a time of “letting go” of the past make space for new experiences and lessons.

Wear a Scarf- we all have a few stuffed in the cupboard there somewhere! Its time to put them to use the sudden temperature changes and increased windy days are hard on our immunity and internal temperature regulation.

A Scarf is a stylish, easy to carry personal temperature regulation unit and wind break.. So Autumn is time to bust out that one that you brought on your holiday to Venice or that you brought from the flee market in San fran!

Increase your intake of herbal tea’s and warm water with sour flavour’s such as lemon and grapefruit and try to limit pungent foods that promote perspiration such as chilli and onion.

Start to reduce your intake of salads, cool and raw foods and increase warm foods such as porridge for breakfast and soups with all those lovely vegies above for dinner.

With Skin Care its time to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Switch to sweet almond oil with a few drops of rose essential oil for your post shower moisturising for your body!

For your face consider adding a hydrating serum with something like Hyaluronic acid and aloe to your routine. Baths, masques and Face & body scrubs with Oatmeal will help to retain moisture and soothe inflammation caused by the change in weather.

Enjoy the crisp clear energy that is autumn and remember I’m here to help if you need it!